Kazakhstan may become a permanent production base for films, series and television projects produced by Gazprom-Media. The potential for expanded cooperation was outlined by Alexander Zharov, head of the Russian media holding, at the III Russia–Kazakhstan Media Forum in St. Petersburg.
According to Zharov, collaboration between Kazakhstan and Russia opens up strong commercial opportunities in film and video production. “We are already producing films in Kazakhstan. We hope to move to co-productions in the near future, as the Kazakh production school meets the highest standards. I believe we need to train professionals together and work within a shared digital environment,” he said.
One of the company’s projects filmed in Kazakhstan is “The Wizard of the Emerald City: The Yellow Brick Road.” A key battle scene on a bridge was shot in Charyn Canyon. Released in January 2025, the film grossed over RUB 3.3 billion, becoming the third highest-grossing title in the history of the modern Russian box office.
Kazakh locations were also used in the sequel, “The Wizard of the Emerald City: The Great and Terrible.” Filming took place in Charyn and Black Canyons, the village of Kurty, the Bugutty mountain range and the Assy plateau. The second installment is scheduled for release on 1 January 2027. Production is handled by Central Partnership, part of Gazprom-Media, in collaboration with Kinoslovo and CGF.